In general, snowboard bindings intended to receive flexible shoes comprise a base which is firmly connected to the snowboard on which the shoe is held by one or generally two gripping straps. The gripping straps are located at the foot and instep of the foot. The straps grip the foot firmly to enable the board to be steered. The straps must be capable of pivoting laterally to enable the strap to be moved outwards in order for the shoe to be set in position.
The straps known to date are often made of a flexible, slightly distortable material, as described in European patent EP 1 491 240.
The pivoting movement is therefore achieved due to the distortion of a section of the strap. It has been noted, however, that the rigidity required by the strap section prevents the strap from pivoting freely and that the strap therefore tends to return naturally to the closed position above the base. This may hinder users when they are putting on their shoes because the strap has to be opened manually above the base.
In French patent FR 2 838 979 the Applicant proposes a solution to this problem in which the straps have a certain degree of rigidity and comprise a hinge consisting of a rigid pin around which the strap may pivot. Return means hold the strap in a stable position thereby enabling the shoe to be inserted without users having to hold the strap open manually when they are putting on their shoes.
The two binding straps also constitute protruding parts that it is perhaps advantageous to fold down on the top of the base in order to save space when the board is transported. In order to achieve this, the straps generally include an additional hinge point that enables them to pivot around a transversal axis in order to fold the straps towards the base.
For example, in patents FR 2 838 979 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,515 the end of the strap which is mounted on the base comprises a double hinge. The first end hinge enables the strap to pivot around a transversal axis in order for it to fold down on the base. The second hinge is spatially offset to enable the strap to open outwards. The presence of this dual mechanism constitutes a weak point, particularly since the straps are generally under considerable strain from being tightly gripped.
Patent WO 96/24412 describes a binding that includes a complex base the two lateral sides of which are hinged relative to the central section of the base. The sides are themselves connected to sections that act as pedals that automatically fold the straps onto the foot when the user puts on the binding.
The aim of the invention is to propose an alternative solution to this system to enable the double hinge movement to be performed using a simple, compact mechanism.